Customer Reviews

Socks a La Carte: Pick And Choose Patterns To Knit Socks Your Way

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As you can figure out, this book's main purpose is to serve as an advertisement for Tofutsies sock yarn. Nothing wrong with that, in my book, actually, but if you're expecting more, you'll be set up for disappointment.

The book utilizes a flip format (similar to, I believe, the book _1000 sweaters_ from a few years back) with all of the sock bits knit in the same color. This is handy, because you can see how the sock would look knit up with this toe, this cuff, this ankle pattern, etc. As for variety, you get a good number of options. For cuffs, for example, you get picots, baby-cable rib, ruffle, foldover, etc. For toes they include not only pedi-socks (sock with no toe) to thong socks to even little compartments for each individual toe (no thanks! My toes would get lonely!)

Another reviewer spoke well when she said that the yarn and stitch pattern didn't really show up very well--and that's the problem, after all, with yarns like Tofutsies or, say, Lang Trekking. Some of the patterns work up beautifully, but some just didn't look right for that kind of yarn.

The 'sock gallery' at the end *is* marvellous--only problem is, there are only really about half as many sock variations as listed (they list each sock individually), and the one really interesting pattern isn't in the book. It is on the website, but still. Was it too much to put it in the book!? Not a lot of information on changing sizes or changing gauge, either. And none of the patterns feature anything on the instep of the sock--the pattern goes down to the ankle only, and the foot is knit plain.

If you have any of the other sock compendia (I know I keep harping on Schurch's books for beginners, and Cat Bordhi's two are stupendous for intermediate/advanced socksters), this book is not going to be irresistible for you. If you have my level of sock compulsion, you'll get it and it will be useful to you, just not as much as you'd hoped. I'd hoped for a book full of patterns that showed Tofutsies off in its full splendor--with its limited elasticity and bright colors, it's not easy to plug into a pattern! It's useful, and useful for more yarns (I think some of the patterns would work even better in some of the more subdued Trekkings, for example) than just SWTC, but as an end-all and be-all of sock books, I'm sorry but there are ones you should have on your shelf before this one.

I wish I had been able to look at this book first and then I would not have bbought it. One of the things that bothers me the most is the yarn choice for the pictures of the sample pattern pieces...it is 'tweedy' and sort-if self striping and does not display the pattern designs well at all...doesn't make me want of mak any of the designs shown! The flip pages are a cute idea but because of the poor yarn choice I really can't 'see' how each part works with the other part. Nice reference for MANY different heel and toe types and many different leg stitches but, again, because of the very poor yarn choice all of the patterns are difficult to 'get a real feel of'. Buying this book was a waste of money for me. The book 'Sensational Knitted Socks' is much, much,much better.

This is the book we've all been waiting for and you've got to ask why hasn't anyone thought of this before?! The book is designed for those of us that prefer visualization over the written word. You no longer have to imagine what a cuff, leg and heel, toe and foot look like as all you've got to do is flip through your preferences. Pick the cuff, the leg and the foot and there it is, all that is left to your imagination is the yarn and colors. The book does talk about the importance of swatching (yes, I'm guilty of neglecting this important step), thus allowing those of us with outrageous stashes to use whichever yarn we'd like. Must admit I do love Tofutsies but also am a handspinner so love handspun as well. The instructional diagrams are lovely as well giving one a choice of using DPNs or circs. There are also more than one cast ons as well as binding off. We all love choices and this is a wonderful book with multiple choices! Well done SWTC!

The books was written well and gave good instructions, however the photography was terrible. The choice of yarn did not show off the knitted patterns so it was difficult to judge if you wanted to make the pattern or not. To make matters worse, they used the same yarn in all the photo's ,,,,did not do the socks justice.

I may be alone in this, but I showed it around at my knitting group and we all thought the same thing: The yarn used to make the samples was a poor choice that did not photograph well, and did not display the stitch patterns at all well. Add that to a too-busy page background, and the book is hard to read. I applaud the idea, and think it's a good one. I just think it would have been better if we could see the stitch patterns on the socks.

This is the best of all the sock knitting books released in 2008. In fact, of the socks books out there, this is rivaled only by the Sensational Knitted Socks books.

The gang at SWTC shows us both their creativity and their abiding respect for their customers by putting together a book that is fun to use, easy to read, and contains just the right amount of information without making you feel overwelmed with options.

The actual design of the book is outstanding. It is hard-bound, so it is study enough to hang out in your knitting bag. One part of the book is "flip" pages that allow you to mix-and-match cuffs, leg, and heel-toe combinations. The book comes with an elastic strap that can be used to mark you page, or to hold down the flip-pages. As an aging baby boomer, I appreciate that the size of the pictures and the text.

The book contains a nice variety of cuffs, and a great selection of heel-toe combinations. There are 20 leg/body patterns again with a variety of patterns and skill levels. There is something here for everyone.

The instructions included are sufficient, but I don't know if I would recommend this as your only book for sock knitting. This is more of an overview. I did love the discussion on needles, because there is a very simple, straight-forward and easy to understand comparison of double-points and circulars for sock knitting. I always wanted to try knitting socks on 2 circulars, and I finally have the information I need to do that. Yipee!

I highly recommend this book to all my sock knitting sisters (and brothers), even those who never thought they could design their own socks. Have fun!

I love this book! Yes, I agree with the other reviewers that the yarn used to knit the socks in the photograph was a poor choice but that aside the book is awesome! The mix and match idea is great and I've already adapted several of the ideas to make even more options. I like the casual tone of the book - like sitting down with girlfriends and chatting about what we'd like to knit. I think this book was definitely money well spent!

This book sounded like a good idea mixing and matching the pieces of the socks. But my complaint is the HORRIBLE yarn they used in the socks. It is a ugly red tweedy kind and you can NOT even see the patterns because they used a "busy" yarn. What were they thinking? The pictures of the socks are terrible. I'ts my least favorite book and just collecting dust on a shelf.

I'm knitting my first sock from this book. It is loads of fun picking out the patterns to use. So many beautiful cuff, leg, heel and toe choices. Never a same-ol-socks again. Just for fun I'm knitting the cuff a different shade than the body of the sock. I'm so pleased with the outcome that I plan to knit socks all summer so that I won't have cold feet next winter. And I may even knit socks for Christmas gifts. I highly recommend this book, believe me when I say it is the most fun sock book I've ever had my hands on.

In addition to the previous comments about the yarn not doing the patterns justice, anyone thinking about this book should be warned that, while brief mention is made of dpn's at the beginning of the book, all the directions for heels and toes are only given for circulars. Since I don't feel like puzzling out how to convert the directions, that whole section of the book is useless to me (well, for toes anyway). I'll keep the book around for when I get around to trying socks on circulars.

I really think that Charlotte Schurch's Sensational Knitted Socks books are a better investment. If you have both of them, you might want to pick this one up just for the stitch pattern suggestions.